Multiwavelength monitoring and X-ray brightening of Be X-ray binary PSR J2032+4127/MT91 213 on its approach to periastron
Journal Article
·
· Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
- University of Southampton (United Kingdom). Mathematical Sciences and STAG Research Centre and Physics and Astronomy and STAG Research Centre
- University of Hong Kong (China). Department of Physics
- Univ. of Manchester (United Kingdom). Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics, School of Physics and Astronomy
- University of Southampton (United Kingdom). Physics and Astronomy and STAG Research Centre
- Columbia Univ., New York, NY (United States). Columbia Astrophysics Lab.
- George Mason Univ., Fairfax, VA (United States). College of Science
- Liverpool John Moores University (United Kingdom). Astrophysics Research Institute
The radio and gamma-ray pulsar PSR J2032+4127 was recently found to be in a decades-long orbit with the Be star MT91 213, with the pulsar moving rapidly towards periastron. This binary shares many similar characteristics with the previously unique binary system PSR B1259-63/LS 2883. Here in this paper, we describe radio, X-ray, and optical monitoring of PSR J2032+4127/MT91 213. Our extended orbital phase coverage in radio, supplemented with Fermi LAT gamma-ray data, allows us to update and refine the orbital period to 45–50 yr and time of periastron passage to 2017 November. We analyse archival and recent Chandra and Swift observations and show that PSR J2032+4127/MT91 213 is now brighter in X-rays by a factor of ~70 since 2002 and ~20 since 2010. While the pulsar is still far from periastron, this increase in X-rays is possibly due to collisions between pulsar and Be star winds. Optical observations of the Hα emission line of the Be star suggest that the size of its circumstellar disc may be varying by ~2 over time-scales as short as 1–2 months. In conclusion, multiwavelength monitoring of PSR J2032+4127/MT91 213 will continue through periastron passage, and the system should present an interesting test case and comparison to PSR B1259-63/LS 2883.
- Research Organization:
- SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory (SLAC), Menlo Park, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- Contributing Organization:
- Fermi LAT Collaboration
- Grant/Contract Number:
- AC02-76SF00515
- OSTI ID:
- 1355747
- Journal Information:
- Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Journal Name: Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 464; ISSN 0035-8711
- Publisher:
- Royal Astronomical SocietyCopyright Statement
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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